67 Years of WNC Honors

Community centers and clubs across the NC mountain region voluntarily participate in the annual WNC Honors Awards by submitting application. The 64 communities involved in this year’s program represented a total of 5,375 volunteers with an impressive 158,000 hours in outreach programs dedicated to beautification, conservation, education, health and wellness, as well as collaborative efforts with government, extension, community colleges, nonprofits and businesses, all in service to rural communities.  In addition, the collective fundraising efforts of these communities brought in over $635,000 for everything from neighbor helping neighbor to after school programs, senior meal sites, farmland preservation, a tele-medicine clinic, and events highlighting our region’s great art, craft, and music traditions.

Here are the 2016 Honors Awards Winners:

COMMUNITIES OF DISTINCTION

Eastern Band of Cherokee: Big Y

Haywood County: Bethel Rural Community Organization and Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center

COMMUNITIES OF PROMISE

Buncombe County: Leicester Community, Shiloh Community Association, Spring Mountain Community

Cherokee County: Unaka Community

Eastern Band of Cherokee: Big Cove Community

Haywood County: Fine’s Creek Community Association

Henderson County: Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Community

Jackson County: Caney Fork Community

Macon: Holly Springs Community, Otto Community

Madison County: Walnut Community

Mitchell County: Tipton Hill Community Foundation

Rutherford County: Ellenboro Woman’s Club, Whitehouse Community

Transylvania County: Cedar Mountain Community, Lake Toxaway Community

ENGAGED COMMUNITIES

Ashe County: Peak Creek Ruritan

Buncombe County: Avery’s Creek, Sandy Mush

Cherokee County: Bellview, Grape Creek

Clay County: Brasstown

Eastern Band of Cherokee: Towstring, Yellowhill

Henderson County: Crab Creek, Edneyville

Macon: Carson, Clark’s Chapel, Cowee, Upper Cartoogechaye

Madison County: Center, Greater Ivy, Revere Rice Cove, Spring Creek, Upper Laurel

Rutherford County: Gilkey School, Golden Valley, Union Mills

Transylvania County: Balsam Grove

Watauga County: Deep Gap Ruritan, Foscoe Ruritan

PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES

Buncombe County: Buckeye Cove, Cane Creek, Fairview, Ox Creek, Rosscraggon Wood

Cherokee County: Martin’s Creek, Peachtree

Eastern Band of Cherokee: Snowbird

Haywood County: Beaverdam, North Hominy, Thickety

Henderson County: Mills River, Upward

Jackson County: Glenville, Pumpkintown

Macon County: Nantahala, Pine Grove School

Madison County: Walnut Creek

Polk County: Pea Ridge

Swain County: Whittier

PRESIDENT’S 25th AWARD

Eastern Band of Cherokee: Towstring

Haywood County: Thickety

Henderson County: Mills River

CALICO CAT

Haywood County, Fine’s Creek

CALICO CAT JUNIOR

Macon County, Cowee

 

THANK YOU to the 67th WNC Honors Awards Sponsors. Their generous contributions made $39,500 in cash awards possible for our communities.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort

Harrah’s Valley River Casino & Hotel

Biltmore Farms, Inc.

Duke Energy

Mission Health

The McClure Fund

Buncombe County Farm Bureau

Carolina Farm Credit

First Citizens Bank

Wells Fargo